Catholics Join Plea for No Guns on Campus

Last week, representatives from the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City joined with other advocates, including the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah, in presenting a petition to the Utah Governor’s office. Currently, colleges and universities in Utah can prohibit food, alcohol and water from being carried into assemblies on campus. They can’t, however, limit guns. Speaker Anita Sarkeesian was to have lectured at Utah State on violence against women in video games, but she cancelled her lecture when she received anonymous death threats. Brought forward by organizations MomsRising, Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus and Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah, the petition was signed by over 20,000 Americans. The petition stated in part,

“Utah cannot allow its campus gun laws to violate the First Amendment right to Free Speech. Public institutions of higher education should have the ability to protect college students and all those who want to engage in a full and open discussion on important issues, like violence against women.”